课题组在前期研究中率先提出长链非编码RNA（lncRNA）具有调控microRNA活性的作用，此后陆续有多篇文章报道相似机制。2011年Cell上发表综述，在此基础上提出ceRNA的概念：lncRNA或mRNA分子之间可能结合相同microRNA而相互保护，形成网络，共同对抗miRNA的抑制作用。新近，我们发现p53 3'UTR也具有ceRNA功能，甚至促进肿瘤发生，并由此提出大胆假设：miRNAs不仅是抑制基因表达，还可以组建RNA之间（mRNA:mRNA, mRNA:lncRNA, lncRNA:lncRNA）相互对话的平台， RNA通过表达水平上的相互保护，而在功能上相互促进或相互制约，最终形成细胞内的自稳态。本项目将针对p53为中心的ceRNA网络进行鉴定，然后聚焦于该网络中Ras与p53的相互关系进行解析。上述假设如果成立，将是miRNAs理论研究的一次重要突破。

In our previous studies, we first proposed long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has the role of the regulation of microRNA activity. Thereafter, several articles reported the similar mechanism. The review, published in Cell in 2011 on this basis, propose the ceRNA concept: lncRNA, or mRNA molecules and mutual protection, form a network, to fight against the miRNA inhibition. Recently, we found that p53 3'UTR also has ceRNA functions, and even promote tumorigenesis. Thus, we put forward a bold hypothesis: miRNAs do not only inhibit gene expression, but also provide the base for the crosstalk among different RNAs (mRNA: mRNA, mRNA: lncRNA, lncRNA: lncRNA ) , RNAs protect each orther at expression level, but interact each other for function restriction, and ultimately give rise to the intracellular homeostasis. The project will identified p53-centered ceRNA network, and then focus on the relationship between Ras and p53 in the network. The above assumptions, if established, will be the miRNAs theoretical study of an important breakthrough.